Domtar Sponsors The Rainforest Alliance Gala

Friday, May 06, 2011

Press release from the issuing company

Montreal, - Continuing its work with the Rainforest Alliance to help promote sustainability, Domtar announced today it will co-sponsor the Rainforest Alliance 2011 Annual Gala. The environmental group's 20th annual dinner and award ceremony May 11 in New York City will feature special guests Sigourney Weaver and Jane Alexander, and it will honor companies and individuals for their achievements in sustainable forestry, agriculture, tourism and climate change.

Proceeds from the gala will benefit the Rainforest Alliance's comprehensive conservation initiatives, helping ensure sustainable livelihoods and conserve biodiversity. The Rainforest Alliance pioneered the concept of responsible forestry certification in 1989, for instance, and has since certified more than 65.1 million hectares (160.8 million acres) in more than 74 countries to the rigorous standards of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The goal: to meet comprehensive environmental, social and economic standards which curb deforestation, provide habitat for wildlife and protect the rights and well-being of workers, their families and their communities.

"This is an important event for recognizing companies for their demonstrated commitments to sustainability," said Tensie Whelan, president of the Rainforest Alliance. "We are delighted to have worked with Domtar for over a decade now. Domtar continues to raise the bar for the paper industry, setting an example to encourage environmental responsibility."

This marks the sixth year Domtar has sponsored the Gala, one of the ways Domtar has teamed with the Rainforest Alliance to encourage responsible paper production and fiber sourcing. With the help of the Rainforest Alliance, all of Domtar's more than 30 facilities have now been certified to FSC standards, and the FSC label and the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal have grown more visible on packages of Domtar paper. Nearly 20 percent of Domtar's paper products have been FSC certified while, across America, the FSC estimates that only 4 to 6 percent of paper products earn that distinction.

"We're proud to be at the forefront of the responsible production and use of forest products, and we're excited to help honor this year's Sustainable Standard-Setters," said Lewis Fix, Domtar Vice President of Sustainable Business and Brand Management. "We're looking forward to the Rainforest Alliance's 2011 Gala, and a chance to salute some of this year's remarkable achievements in sustainability."